Archive By Section - Local News

Many volunteers in the community perform tasks without any type of recognition simply because they enjoy it. Many of these people quietly contribute their time and effort, making their part of the world a better place.

Read the April 20 issue of The Oakdale Leader to see the first in what will become a regular feature series and get inspired about volunteers who are making difference in Oakdale.

Time is ticking down until the start of Oakdale's 10th annual Relay For Life, the signature fundraising event of the American Cancer Society.

Dozens of teams will take to the track, set up on the soccer fields at Oakdale High School, for a 24-hour period from Saturday, April 16 to Sunday, April 17 to raise money and awareness in the fight against cancer.

Reporter by day, romance novelist by night - and weekends - Kimberly Van Meter recently learned that she'd joined the ranks of Nora Roberts, Debbie Macomber, and Brenda Novak when she received a call from the Romance Writers of America (RWA) Friday, March 25 notifying her she'd been selected as a finalist in the 2011 RITA race.

Despite calling a special meeting on the subject on Wednesday, April 6, the Oak Valley Hospital District Governing Board still has not come to a decision on the fate of Chief Executive Officer John Friel on whether or not to extend his contract as the hospital's top administrator. Friel's current contract ends in October of this year.

Mary Beth Fullerton and her kitchen accomplice (and mother), Kathy Petsch subscribe to the Paula Deen mantra when it comes to creating culinary dishes: they don't cook for dieting, they cook for eating.

In an illustration of "politics makes strange bedfellows," the Oakdale City Council appointed two community members known for being on opposite sides of issues to co-chair an ad hoc committee on exploring a sales tax increase for the city to cover its recent deficits and cuts.

Rodeo entertainment and weekend antics kept people kicking up their heels in Oakdale as the 60th Annual Oakdale Saddle Club PRCA Rodeo took place on April 9-10 at the rodeo grounds.

Celebrating rodeo week in Oakdale is an annual tradition that kicks off each year with the Cowgirl Luncheon to raise money for the Oakdale Cowboy Museum. Find out what happens when you put 430 women, 60 good-natured cowboys, and free-flowing champagne in a room together.

Oakdale Rodeo Queen hopefuls were shivering in their custom leather outfits Thursday, April 7 at the annual Cowboy Museum mixer as they waited to learn who had earned the title of this year's rodeo royalty. The rain began around 5 p.m. and for a brief moment, snowflakes started to drift from the sky. Of course, nothing stuck and it was over before most people realized it had begun, but it certainly made for good conversation. For complete rodeo coverage of all the week's festivities and competition, don't miss the April 13 issue of The Oakdale Leader.

If you want to see crazy in action, just catch Oakdale before and during the rodeo weekend, and while it's a wild good time for most, for law enforcement and certain city agencies, it spells overtime, a black out on vacation time, and most certainly all hands on deck.

Battle lines are being clearly defined between the members of the Oak Valley Hospital Governing Board. The polarization between members was clear after the last meeting of the hospital's governing board of directors on March 23.

Purple was the predominant color in the audience at Monday night's city council meeting, April 4, as concerned seniors wearing Gladys Lemmons Senior Center shirts gathered, concerned about perceived threats posed to their facility.

U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) introduced a bill on Wednesday, Jan. 14 to lessen the burden on disabled veterans by extending military commissary and exchange store privileges to former service members and their families.

The Bacigalupi family is well known throughout the Oakdale area. Not only for the infamous H-B Saloon on F Street, but also for their philanthropy including sponsoring the Cowboy Golf Tournament, the annual AFC-NFC Championship Tailgate Party to benefit local causes, donations to Spirit of Oakdale, Community Sharing, the Lions Club Children's Christmas Shopping Tour and several contributions to Oakdale High School sports.

Life is not being wasted on Bill and Joanne Parker. At the ages of 85 (Bill) and 84 (Joanne), this couple did not wait for New Year's Day to make a resolution or begin a new health plan. On Jan. 2, 2015 the couple could be found in the same place they were on Dec. 31, 2014 … putting in some time at Fitness Plus in Oakdale.

Like many families do, the 'family' of kids, parents and teachers at The Learning Tree Preschool in Oakdale recently completed their holiday 'Gingerbread House' craft making activity, with the children able to take home their sweet treats to display (or eat) over the holidays. Following are some photos from the special craft day.

Law enforcement fatalities in the U.S. rose 24 percent in 2014, reversing what had been two years of dramatic declines in line of duty deaths, based on preliminary data compiled and released by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF).